20 minute bbq corn pizza
I think I like photographing corn more than eating it.
Oh, don’t worry, I do like corn – if I didn’t I wouldn’t share recipes using the cobs. I have found, though, that photographing the kernels is wildly satisfying; they seem to pick up tendrils of light beautifully and shot them back into my lens with brilliant color. Maybe it’s just a trick o the light, but damn, I’m digging the dudes.
I do not, however, enjoy photographing pizza. Might explain my propensity to not posting a whole lot of pizza recipes. Correcting the perspective is tricky and impossible to plan considering pizza dough behaves differently with every bake. But, if nothing else, I’m learning to vibe with what I’m given and view my photography as play time. And, of course, I get to eat what I’ve made, which is a good bonus.
I’ve taken to baking up a new pie every weekend, experimenting with what summer produce I’ve gathered in my house on that day. Usually, I have tomatoes around, but after my Charred Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Chickpeas I decided that sweet yellow corn needs a more prolific place in my repertoire. Once you get past how big a smokefest it makes when trying to grill it on your stovetop (or maybe thats just me, I dunno), it’s quite delicious, refreshing, and versaitle.
This pie really takes no effort, especially if you go the storebought route and just throw it together quickly on a busy weeknight, or for a casual weekend lunch. Love topping off my slices with pickled onions when I have them around (which is always) and of course, a hit of fresh basil. It’s not a stretch to say this guy is done in 20 minutes. Maybe even less if you work frantically like I do!
Corny Jokes
Oh I’m full of those. Don’t you worry.
I have yet to really develop a pizza dough recipe of my own, so I usually swipe on my mom makes whenever I actually venture the homemade route. Otherwise, I buy them at Publix or Trader Joe’s.
For this pizza, I use the whole pound of dough and split it in half to make two 1/2 pound pies. The amounts in the recipe card align with that process, so if you only want one pie, you can easily split the measurements in half. Or, just make one GIANT pie.
Next, the BBQ sauce. You can buy your favorite brand or make your own. I love my homemade sauce that I’ve used various times, most recently in my Bourbon BBQ Chickpea Meatballs, but sometimes I’ll cave and purchase a bottle. I prefer ones that are minimal ingredients and higher quality. Rib Rack is a nice one that’s fairly widely available.
Then, corn. I accidentally bought bicolor corn so I can vouch that the pizza is just as delicious with the hybrid, but I usually prefer yellow. Yes, you can use canned or frozen corn, but I find it sogs up the pizza a little too much. Fresh really is the way to go.
You Don’t Know (Pepper)Jack
For the cheeses, a mix of creamy mozzarella and the sweet heat of pepper jack is the name of the game. A little spice with the corn is a dreamy mix.
Once you’ve got shit shredded and measured and all the crap, it’s time to pizza. Preheat your oven to 500 at least 30-60 minutes ahead of time (if you have the capacity, if not do what you can) to get the oven nice and hot. If you have a stone, pop it in the oven at this time for a good crispy crust butt. That sounds awful. Sorry.
Split your dough in half and shape one of the halves into a pie. I get mine as thin as possible without ripping the bottom. Sprinkle your pizza stone or a baking sheet with cornmeal (you don’t have to do this but I like to for preventing stickage, then plop on your dough and parbake the crust for 5 minutes. This sturdies the dough so it holds the toppings better and gives the pizza more structure.
After the parbake, layer on all the goodies. BBQ sauce, cheese, corn. Bake a bit longer to melt the cheese and let the crust get a little golden.
Woo, you’re done!
I top mine off pretty simply, with fresh basil and the well-loved pickled onions. I’m betting some cilantro would be awesome too if you like the leafy little friend.
Really nothing to this dinner. Bookmark for hectic evenings and emotional eating. We all have them. No shame.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Pizza cravings begone!
20 minute bbq corn pizza
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough, homemade or store bought
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce, homemade or store bought
- 2 ears yellow corn
- 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup pepperjack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup pickled red onions
- fresh basil and cracked black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees at least 30 minutes before baking. If using a pizza stone, set in the oven to heat.
- Husk the corn and remove all the little hair tendrils. Using a sharp knife, stand the cob on one end, on an angle, and carefully cut downwards to release the kernels. It's best to do this in a shallow bowl, but I usually resign to them flying everywhere.
- Break the dough into two 1/2 pound balls. Form one into a pizza shape, with the outside edge slightly thicker than the rest. I usually make my pies pretty thin. Brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then set in the oven on a baking sheet or your pizza stone and parbake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crust from the oven. Spread with half of the bbq sauce, then half of the mozzarella and pepperjack cheeses, and half of the corn kernels. Bake 5-8 minutes longer until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Top with half of the pickled onions.
- Repeat steps for the second pizza. Slice and serve warm with black pepper and fresh basil.
